Hame and trace connecter



F. H. HAPGOOD. HAME AND TRACE GONNECTER. APPLlCATiON FILED MAY 26, I920.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAME AND TRACE CONNECTER.

Application filed May 26,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. HAPGOOD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Stevenson, in the county of Skamania and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hame and Trace Connecters, of which the following is a specification. v

' My invention relates to a device for connecting a hame and a trace formed of rope, and the purpose of my invention is the pro vision of a connecter of this type which eliminates the necessity of splicing the trace and permits of the longitudinal adjustment of the trace while at the same time, securely maintaining it in any adjusted position without subjecting it to any appreciable degree of wear.

I will describe one form of connecter embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claim;

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a view, showing a trace and hame having applied thereto one form of connecter embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view, showing in side elevation the connectershown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the connecter in top plan; and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Figure 1, C designates a horse collar, upon which is supported a standard form of hame designated at H. T designates a trace formed of rope and which is adapted to be connected at its forward end to the hame H by means of my improved form of connecter generally indicated at K.

As illustrated to advantage in Figures 2 and 3, the connecter K comprises a member A formed of a single length of metal and comprising a linear portion 15 curved transversely in the form of an are, an inclined curved portion 16 and a flat end portion 17. The free end of the flat portion 17 is provided with a pair of pivot ears 18 while the opposite end of the member is formed with a ring 19.

The connecter K also includes a member A which as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is formed of a single length of metal and comprises a linear portion 20 curved transversely Specification of Letters Patent.

. in the form of an arc Patented Feb. 7, 1922. 1920. Serial No. 384,257.

and provided at one end with an extension 21, and at the other end with a flat portion 22. As shown in F igure 2, the flat portion 22 is formed with an opening 22, and is disposed in spaced parallel relation to the flat portion 17, its freeend being provided with a pivot ear 23 which is adapted to coact with the'ears 18 for hingedly supporting the two members, as will be hereinafter described. As shown in Figure 2, the extension 21 is curved transversely but is reduced in width so that shoulders 24 are provided at the point at which the extension is connected to the portion 20. This extension is adapted to fit within the ring 19 as clearly shown in Figure 4, the shoulders 24 being adapted to abutthe inner side of the ring for limiting the longitudinal movement of the member A in one direction upon the member A. i

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the member A is provided with a tongue 25 at the juncture of the'portions 15 and 16, while the member A is provided with a similar tongue 26 at a point intermediate the ends of the portion 20. As shown in Figure 3, the tongues 25 and 26' are adapted topenetrate the rope of which the trace T is comprised in such manner as to prevent longitudinal movement of the same outwardly from the hame H.

The members A and A are adapted to be hingedly supported upon the hame H so as to have free movement in a horizontal plane and to thereby permit the required lateral movement of the trace when in applied position. This is effected through the medium of the ears 18 and 23 which when properly alined accommodate a hinge bolt B, the latter being supported upon the hame by a pair of projections 27.

In the application of the connecter to the trace, the forward end of the rope is passed through the ring 19, and to lock the rope end against displacement from the ring, a wire or band 28 of any description is wound around the rope end. This wire exceeds the diameter of the ring so that when the rope is pulled in an attempt to remove the same from the ring the wire will abut the inner side of the ring and thus prevent its displacement. The rope having been properly positioned within the member A, the member A is now applied in such manner that the free end of the rope is extended through the opening 22. After the rope has been apply the bolt B.

properly adjusted as to its length, so as to properly connect the hame and the singletree, the member A position by inserting the extension 21 into the ring 19 in the manner shown in Figure 4 so that the shoulders 2 L abut the inner edge of the rin This may be quickly accomplished by olding the member A with one hand and pullin on the rope withthe other. In this position of the member A, the tongue 26 is caused to penetrate the rope and the inward pressure of the member A against the member A causes the tongue 25 to also penetrate the rope so that the trace is locked between the members, thus preventing withdrawal of the same and thereby maintaining its adjustment. In the applied position of the member A, the pivot car 23 is disposed between and in registry with the pivot ears 18 of the member A so that in order to hirigedly support the connecter upon the hame it is only necessary to insert the ears between the rojections 27 and then pon the application of the bolt B, an interlocking of the pivot ears is effected so that longitudinal movement of the member A in the direction of the hame is positively prevented. This action, of course, insures the locking of the rope to the connecter and the maintenance of the ad'ustment of the rope.

n all connecters of which I am familiar, the end of the rope. This method has been found to be very unsatisfactory because the splicing of the rope weakens the same causthis character with is moved to clamping it is necessary to splice WVhile I have herein shown and described only one form of connecter embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the-spirit and scope of the ap ended claim.

laving thus described my invention, I claim:

A connecter of the character described comprising a pair of members including flattened portions and semi-circular portions, a ring formed on the end of one of the semi-circular portions of one of the members; a reduced extension formed on the semicircular portion of the other member and fitting within said ring, one of the flattened portions of one of the members being formed with an opening to receive the end of a brace extended between the members and through said ring, a hinged connection at the free ends of the tongues on the confronting sides of the members.

January 13th, 1920, Stevenson, Wash.

FRANK HORACE HAPGOOD.

Witnesses:

RAYMOND C. SLY, J. B. GRAY.

flat portions of the members, and 

